Dr. Frank has many new patients come see him seeking a revision procedure for their breast augmentation. There are various reasons why a patient may seek revision surgery. Here are the main issues to be addressed with these procedures.

Capsular contracture

When an implant is placed into the body, there is a reaction, as you would assume. This reaction is called the “capsule” and it is made up of calcified cells and scar tissue. If this capsule becomes very thick and causes the implant to shift or the breast to feel very firm, or if there is pain from the constricting scar tissue, this is called capsular contracture. If the capsule is very calcified, Dr. Frank will remove it along with the implant. If it isn’t, he usually will leave it in place. If there is a rupture of a silicone implant, the capsule may contain silicone shell fragments, silicone gel, and inflammatory cells that all need to be removed prior to placing new implants. This is especially the case with silicone implants older than 15 years.

Changing the implant size

Sometimes a patient comes to Dr. Frank unhappy with her choice of implant size. The first thing he advises is to wait one full year before opting to make a change. This allows for any swelling to fully subside and for the implants to settle. If the patient still wants to change her implant size, Dr. Frank will enter through the original incision on each breast. If a larger implant is desired, he will increase the size of the pocket, the space in the breast to hold the implant. If the patient seeks smaller implants, he will reduce the size of the pocket with sutures to fit the smaller implants. In cases of reduction, a breast lift may be done in conjunction with the implant revision to remove any sagging tissue and possibly relocate the nipples.

Implant position

Sometimes a less experienced surgeon will place the implant pockets either too far away or too close together and the patient is not happy with the placement. In these cases, Dr. Frank will use scar tissue from the capsule and will reconstruct new pockets for the implants in better positions.

Implant rippling

Implant rippling is usually only a problem that occurs with saline implants. It happens when the implants are placed atop the chest muscle, and they show rippling or even the edges of the implants can be felt. In these cases, Dr. Frank enters through the original incision and replaces the implants with better muscle coverage. This may involve switching implant types and/or placing them in new breast pockets.

Implant removal

When a patient decides she no longer wants to have her implants, they are removed through the same incisions. Dr. Frank will also remove the capsule if it is calcified and thick. In most cases, a breast lift will be recommended because the skin has stretched with the implant size. A lift will remove this excess skin and breast tissue and bring the smaller breasts back up higher on the chest.

While breast augmentation is a life-changing procedure, the results may not be what the patient had hoped for. Of course, expectations need to be realistic. But this is another reason to opt for a board-certified surgeon with extensive experience, such as Dr. Frank, to perform the surgery. Do your research beforehand and the odds are you’ll be happy with your results.

Are you interested in breast augmentation, or do you have questions about a procedure performed elsewhere? Call Dr. Frank at (403) 245-1228 to schedule a consultation.

Breast augmentation isn’t a perfect science, and there are times when a patient desires implant revision surgery. Whether she decided she would simply like larger implants or whether there has been some other issue, breast revision surgery is generally easier than the original surgery. This is because often the incisions can be made on the same spot as the original incisions.

To learn more about breast revision surgery with Dr. Frank in Calgary AB, call today to schedule a consultation. Below are some reasons Dr. Frank performs revision surgery, and the approach taken for each.

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Capsular Contracture

Besides possible rupturing of the implant, this is the main side effect of breast augmentation. When an implant is placed into the body, there is a reaction, as you would assume. This reaction is called the “capsule” and it is made up of calcified cells and scar tissue. If this capsule becomes very thick and causes the implant to shift or the breast to feel very firm, or if there is pain from the constricting scar tissue, this is called capsular contracture. When this occurs, breast revision surgery is required. If the capsule is very calcified, Dr. Frank will remove it along with the implant. If that hasn’t happened, he may leave the capsule. If there is a rupture of a silicone implant, the capsule may contain silicone shell fragments, silicone gel, and inflammatory cells that all need to be removed prior to placing new implants.

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Changing the Implant Size

Sometimes a woman decides she would like a different size implant. This isn’t a decision that should be made soon after surgery, however. Dr. Frank generally advises patients to wait one full year before deciding to make a change. This will allow the implants to fully settle into their final position, and any residual swelling will have passed by then. If the patient still wants to change her implant size, Dr. Frank will perform breast revision surgery and will enter through the original incision. If a larger implant is desired, he will increase the size of the pocket, the space in the breast to hold the implant. If the patient seeks smaller implants, the size of the pocket is reduced with sutures to fit the smaller implants. In cases of reduction, a breast lift may need to be done in conjunction with the breast implant revision to remove any sagging tissue and possibly relocate the nipples.

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Implant Position

Sometimes a less experienced surgeon will place the implant pockets either too far away or too close together and the patient doesn’t like the look. In these cases, the scar tissue from the capsule can be used to reconstruct new pockets in better positions.

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Implant Rippling

Implant rippling is usually a result of saline implants that have been placed atop the chest muscle. There isn’t enough skin and tissue to cover the implant, and rippling occurs. Sometimes the edge of the implant may even be able to be felt. During breast revision surgery, Dr. Frank will enter through the original incisions and replace the implants with better muscle coverage. This may involve switching implant types and/or placing them in new breast pockets. Saline gel implants have less occurrence of rippling.

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Implant Removal

When a patient decides she no longer wants to have her implants, they are removed through the same incisions. Dr. Frank will also remove the capsule if it is calcified and thick. In most cases, he will recommend a breast lift at the same time to remove excess sagging skin and breast tissue that were created with the larger breasts when they had implants.

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Breast augmentation is major surgery. It’s not something to trust to a low-ball estimate or an inexperienced practitioner. Dr. Frank is a board-certified plastic surgeon with extensive experience. Do your research beforehand and the odds are you’ll be happy with your results.

If you have questions about possibly breast revision surgery, or anything to do with implants and augmentation, don’t hesitate to call our office at (403) 245-1228. Dr. Ryan Frank serves patients in Calgary, Cochrane, Airdrie, Chestermere, and Okotoks, AB, CA.